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Harper, Zimmerman need strong finish in All-Star vote

Harper, Zimmerman need strong finish in All-Star vote

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By Bill Ladson
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MLB.com |

WASHINGTON -- After coming off the disabled list on Monday, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper immediately showed how much of an impact he has on the team. In his first at-bat, Harper hit a home run during a 10-5 victory over the Brewers.

Before going on the disabled list in early June because of a left knee injury, Harper was clearly the Nats' best player. At the time, Harper was leading the team in almost every offensive category, including home runs, runs scored and batting average.

Although he missed a lot of action, Harper still ranks fourth among National League outfielders in All-Star balloting, with 2,902,393 votes, after Major League Baseball announced the fifth NL update on Tuesday. Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran leads the way in outfield voting.

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, the cornerstone of the Nationals, is fifth among NL third basemen with 1,072,563 votes. Zimmerman is having a solid season for Washington, hitting .276 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs. His best game came on May 29, when he hit three home runs against the Orioles.

It marked the first time Zimmerman has hit three home runs in a game and the third time in Nationals history that a player has accomplished the feat. Prior to Zimmerman, the last Washington player to hit three home runs in a game was Adam Dunn, who hit three against the Padres in 2010.

Fans may submit 25 online ballots during the voting period but can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, fans must be logged into an MLB.com account when submitting any online ballot. To obtain an MLB.com account, visit www.mlb.com and register in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.

Fans can also once again participate in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league whom they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2013 Home Run Derby -- part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day -- will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 15.

Though originally scheduled for Sunday, the 2013 rosters will now be unveiled Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on the 2013 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Taco Bell. The show will be televised nationally on FOX.

From Saturday through Thursday, July 11, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote Sponsored by freecreditscore.com for the final player for each league's All-Star roster.

And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the official voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the official vote determining the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field on Tuesday, July 16. Come to MLB.com for extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.

The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.